It is well known that in pipes and other vessels used to transport media, loss of the piping material occurs over time. Typically, such material loss is due to erosion and/or corrosion by the media being transported. The material loss is typically in the lower portion of the pipe and at points where media flow changes direction, e.g., bends or elbows within piping systems. Material loss can also be found at points where flow characteristics change, as at piping joints. When transporting corrosive media, material loss can occur in any location. The flow of the media gradually eats away at the inner surface of the pipe, resulting in material loss and weakening of the pipe. The rate and location of material loss are impacted by the material of the pipe liner and/or the pipe, the temperature of the media, the velocity of the media, media particulate and the chemical makeup of the media.
In the mining, oil and gas industries, internal corrosion of the pipe is often caused by carbon dioxide, water, hydrogen sulfide, chlorides, bacteria, completion fluids, and other substances found in the produced hydrocarbon. Pipe erosion can be caused by high velocities of the fluids and multiphase fluid systems, e.g., slurries and tailings.
Typically, to identify material loss of a pipe due to erosion/corrosion, a visual inspection and/or cameras and/or probes are performed. This requires the media transportation to be interrupted to visually inspect the inside of the pipe. Other technology used to identify material loss in a pipe includes ultrasonic technology and radiography or x-ray. These techniques are used from the outside of the pipe.